Copper wire cable and Types

Copper wire is a single electrical conductor made of copper.It can be insulated or non-insulated.A copper cable is a set of two or more copper wires bundled together in a sheath or sheath.Copper wire and cables are used in the generation, transmission, distribution, telecommunications, electronic circuits, and countless types of electrical equipment. It's been useful since the invention of the telegraph and the electromagnet.Copper is the most widely used conductor in many types of electrical wiring.Of all the non-noble metals, copper has the least resistance to the flow of electric current.Wires in buildings are the most important market for the copper industry.About half of all copper mined is used to make wire and cable conductors.

Properties of copper useful for the copper wire 

• Conductivity.

• Tensile strength.

• Malleability.

• Combination of strength and ductility.

• Creep Resistance-Copper does not change much with heat.

• Corrosion resistance.

• Thermal expansion coefficient.

• Thermal Conductivity.

• Solderability

• Easy to install

Types

Solid and stranded:

Solid wire consists of a single copper wire, either bare or surrounded by insulation.Single-stranded copper conductors are commonly used as magnet wire in electric motors and transformers.They are relatively stiff, less prone to bending, and are typically installed in permanent, infrequently handled, and low-flex applications.Stranded wire has a set of copper wires braided or twisted together.Multi-strand wires are more flexible and easier to install than larger single-strand wires of the same cross-section.Stranding increases wire life in vibrating applications.The specific cross-section of stranded conductors gives them essentially the same resistive properties as solid conductors, but with greater flexibility.

Cable:

Copper cables consist of two or more copper wires laid side by side and bonded,twisted or braided together to form an assembly.The cable can be made more flexible by twisting the wires.The copper wires in the cable can be bare or plated with a thin layer of another metal to reduce oxidation,usually tin but sometimes gold or silver.Plating can extend wire life and make soldering easier.Twisted pair and coaxial cables are designed to suppress electromagnetic interference, prevent signal radiation, and provide transmission lines with specified characteristics.Shielded cables are wrapped in foil or wire mesh.